Household refrigerators generally come in three structural styles: (1) a side-by-side model wherein the freezer and refrigerator compartments are side by side; (2) a top mount model wherein the freezer compartment is located above the refrigerator compartment; and (3) a bottom mount model wherein the freezer compartment is mounted below the refrigerator compartment. An icemaker is normally provided in the freezer compartment of all three models. A door mounted ice dispenser is often provided in a side-by-side refrigerator and in a top mount refrigerator so that a person can add ice to a glass without opening the freezer or refrigerator door. However, a door mounted ice dispenser normally is not been provided in bottom mount refrigerators, since the freezer door is too low, and there are difficulties in transporting ice from the freezer compartment to the refrigerator compartment which precludes a dispenser in the refrigerator compartment door. However, it is desirable to have an ice dispenser in the refrigerator compartment of a bottom mount refrigerator.
In prior art refrigerators wherein the freezer door includes an ice dispenser, the interior door liner includes a chute which receives ice from the ice storage bin in the ice making compartment. The chute typically occupies a large area of the interior of the freezer door, such that there is no room for additional storage structure in the door. Ice dispensers have not been provided in the fresh food door of refrigerators, since ice is typically made in the freezer compartment. Freezer and fresh food doors have both utilized shelves and buckets for organizing various food and drink items, though such storage organizers are not normally for individual containers.
Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved refrigerator door for a fresh food compartment having a can and bottle holder therein.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a refrigerator having a fresh food door with a plurality of openings formed therein to hold individual containers.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a refrigerator door having both an ice dispenser and a beverage container.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a bottom mount refrigerator with a lower freezer compartment and an upper refrigerator compartment, with an ice dispenser and a container storage area in the fresh food door.
Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of a refrigerator with a fresh food compartment door having openings formed therein to hold individual cans, bottles, and other food and beverage containers.
These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.